OLD MINING HISTORY of Nevada County

Home , California, Gold Country, History of Nevada, Hydraulic mining, Lorenzo Sawyer, Middle Yuba River

rity. - dedi was It Washington. of town little the near Mine

- integ historic mine’s the preserving on emphasis an

donated to the city of Grass Valley by the Red Ledge Ledge Red the by Valley Grass of city the to donated

For information, call (530) 432-2546. (530) call information, For

has since been undergoing a gradual restoration with with restoration gradual a undergoing been since has

3. Red Ledge Stamp Mill. This three-stamp mill was was mill three-stamp This Mill. Stamp Ledge Red 3.

throughout the year. the throughout Mine properties in 1975 for $1.2 million. The park park The million. $1.2 for 1975 in properties Mine

gold-panning tours are also offered at selected times times selected at offered also are tours gold-panning historic marker. Near the creek in Memorial Park. Memorial in creek the Near marker. historic The State of California purchased the Empire Empire the purchased California of State The

Tunnel and Jones Bar. Docent-led history, nature and and nature history, Docent-led Bar. Jones and Tunnel in gold has been mined within a one-mile radius of this this of radius one-mile a within mined been has gold in home where the wealthy mine owner once lived. once owner mine wealthy the where home

leading to such historic mining sites as the Miner’s Miner’s the as sites mining historic such to leading 2. Hardrock Gold Mining. An estimated $500 million million $500 estimated An Mining. Gold Hardrock 2. the formal gardens surrounding the impressive stone stone impressive the surrounding gardens formal the

hiking, beautiful wildflowers, and exploring the trails trails the exploring and wildflowers, beautiful hiking,

history, tour the mine yard and buildings and stroll stroll and buildings and yard mine the tour history,

Jenkins Street and Hocking Avenue. Hocking and Street Jenkins

State park visitors also can enjoy swimming, swimming, enjoy can also visitors park State

main shaft of the richest gold mine in California California in mine gold richest the of shaft main

1850 and where California quartz gold mining began. began. mining gold quartz California where and 1850

Highway 49 just south of the South Yuba River. Yuba South the of south just 49 Highway

Visitors may look down and explore parts of the the of parts explore and down look may Visitors

McKnight discovered gold in Grass Valley in October, October, in Valley Grass in gold discovered McKnight

canyon. Independence Trail is accessed from from accessed is Trail Independence canyon.

miles of underground shafts. underground of miles

1. Gold Quartz Discovery Site. This is where George George where is This Site. Discovery Quartz Gold 1.

of a historic mining canal flume through the river river the through flume canal mining historic a of producing some 5.8 million ounces of gold from 367 367 from gold of ounces million 5.8 some producing

follows the alignment alignment the follows

The Empire Mine operated from 1850-1956, 1850-1956, from operated Mine Empire The

Gold Mining Historic Markers Historic Mining Gold

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accessible trail that that trail accessible quartz.

a unique wheelchair wheelchair unique a surface. Gold was found in drifts or “shoots” of of “shoots” or drifts in found was Gold surface.

the Independence Trail, Trail, Independence the

vertical or inclined shafts deep beneath the earth’s earth’s the beneath deep shafts inclined or vertical

273-8522.

the state park includes includes park state the

hardrock gold mining. Hardrock miners worked in in worked miners Hardrock mining. gold hardrock

Golden Center Freeway. For information, call (530) (530) call information, For Freeway. Center Golden

Near Nevada City, City, Nevada Near

This 800-acre state park tells the story of of story the tells park state 800-acre This

pire Street in Grass Valley, one mile southeast of the the of southeast mile one Valley, Grass in Street pire

offered.

- Em East 10791 at located is park the daily, Open

Empire Mine State Historic Park Historic State Mine Empire demonstrations are are demonstrations

tion.

October), gold panning panning gold October),

- Associa Park Mine Empire volunteer the by regularly

For information, call (530) 273-4255. (530) call information, For 1 p.m., June through through June p.m., 1

(call for schedules) and Living History Days are hosted hosted are Days History Living and schedules) for (call

charge; donations are welcome. are donations charge; weekends (Sat-Sun, (Sat-Sun, weekends

Tours and mining movies are offered by park rangers rangers park by offered are movies mining and Tours

by special appointment. There is no admission admission no is There appointment. special by panning. On summer summer On panning.

daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 through Oct. 15 and and 15 Oct. through 1 May p.m. 5 to a.m. 10 daily for recreational gold gold recreational for

ney and Allison Ranch roads, the museum is open open is museum the roads, Ranch Allison and ney area is a good location location good a is area

- McCourt near Street, Mill of end the at Located The Bridgeport Bridgeport The

numerous exhibits. numerous restoration.

mill and dynamite-packing machine are among the the among are machine dynamite-packing and mill feet as part of a 1971 1971 a of part as feet

mine shafts. An assay room, blacksmith shop, stamp stamp shop, blacksmith room, assay An shafts. mine of 251 feet to 229 229 to feet 251 of

Cornish Pump that was used to remove water from from water remove to used was that Pump Cornish from its original length length original its from

Skip that carried miners down into the mines and a a and mines the into down miners carried that Skip in 1862 and reduced reduced and 1862 in

world’s largest, built by A.D. Foote in 1895, a Man Man a 1895, in Foote A.D. by built largest, world’s the bridge was built built was bridge the

Attractions include a 30-foot Pelton Wheel, the the Wheel, Pelton 30-foot a include Attractions historic landmark, landmark, historic

relaxation. state and national national and state

Outside is a small creekside park for picnics and and picnics for park creekside small a is Outside covered bridge of its type in the United States. A A States. United the in type its of bridge covered

ing, once the powerhouse for the North Star Mine. Mine. Star North the for powerhouse the once ing, Bridgeport visitors will see the longest single-span single-span longest the see will visitors Bridgeport

- build stone 1895 an in located is museum The year.

hardrock mining museum in California. in museum mining hardrock Thursdays through Sundays noon- 4 the rest of the the of rest the 4 noon- Sundays through Thursdays

No. 843) has been recognized as the most complete complete most the as recognized been has 843) No. Bridgeport is open daily noon-4 in summer and and summer in noon-4 daily open is Bridgeport

Society, this museum (California Historic Landmark Landmark Historic (California museum this Society, northeast of Nevada City. The visitor center at at center visitor The City. Nevada of northeast

Operated by the Nevada County Historical Historical County Nevada the by Operated Valley to Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park Park Historic State Diggins Malakoff to Valley

for 20 miles from Bridgeport to the north of Penn Penn of north the to Bridgeport from miles 20 for

Wheel Exhibit Wheel

California’s first river corridor state park stretches stretches park state corridor river first California’s

North Star Mining Museum and Pelton Pelton and Museum Mining Star North

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South Yuba River State Park State River Yuba South

Bridgeport 

Grass Valley Grass

Corner of Main and Auburn streets. Auburn and Main of Corner

who came to Grass Valley. Valley. Grass to came who cated in honor of the “Cousin Jack” Cornish miners miners Cornish Jack” “Cousin the of honor in cated

North Yuba River r tag">v e R i a Middle Yuba River l e Y u b dd Gold Mining in M i  Malakoff Diggins HWY 49 WASHINGTON ver Nevada County Sout h Yuba Ri HWY 20 OLD MINING South Yuba River State Park The California Gold Rush..... Eureka! Dis- BRIDGEPORT NEVADA G CITY HWY covery of gold in 1848 carried California’s name 174 HWY Empire around the globe. Men came from the East, from 20 Mine GRASS State HISTORY England, Germany, Chile, China, and all around VALLEY Historic the world. Park HWY By the mid-1850s, an estimated 120,000 49 HWY I-80 miners were at work in California. For the most part, prospectors found little romance in the Gold of  Rush; mining was hard, dirty work. Prices were HWY 49 high, living conditions bad. Few miners struck it HWY rich and most of the profits went to merchants and 20 To RENO suppliers. To LAKE Nevada HWY By 1873, the number of California miners had TAHOE dwindled to 30,000. Mining was becoming more 20 of a business, less of an adventure. Wealthy mine HWY I-80  owners built large hardrock and hydraulic mines HWY 49 that employed hundreds of men. N County The rich underground mines of Grass Valley To SACRAMENTO made it the richest mining community in Califor- nia. Even during the Depression of the 1930s, Grass Valley thrived because of its mining-based economy. The business districts and Victorian neighbor- Legends, hoods of Grass Valley and Nevada City grew from this early mining heritage, and these historical Attractions treasures are carefully protected today. Published as a visitor service of the Grass Valley and Nevada City offer a range Joint Chambers of Commerce of Nevada County of gold mining history unequalled elsewhere in & Points of the Gold Country. All of the different mining Grass Valley/Nevada County techniques are explained and there are numerous Chamber of Commerce exhibits of mining gear and memorabilia. And if 248 Mill Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945 Interest you’d like to try your hand at recreational gold (530) 273-4667 • Toll-free in CA 1-800-655-4667 panning, you can still find color in Nevada County www.grassvalleychamber.com rivers! This brochure offers a brief summary of the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce various mining-related attractions in Nevada 132 Main Street, Nevada City, CA 95959 County. For a more in-depth look, pick up bro- (530) 265-2692 • 1-800-655-NJOY chures and other printed materials at the parks www.nevadacitychamber.com and museums. Written by Dave Carter We are proud to share Nevada County’s Design by Brook Design Group golden heritage with you. Please enjoy our mining attractions! Revised January, 2005